The sequel Breath of the Wild (botw), already one of the best games, Tears of the Kingdom (totk) has developed based on the solid foundation on botw and added in so much more. 

Released in 2023, totk has sold over 20.28 million copies. It has a rating of 4.8/5 on Amazon and is praised worldwide by players and critics for the new ability of Link and also its map. 

Map

Botw was a groundbreaking game when released because, unlike most adventure games, players could freely explore the whole map of Hyrule without any restriction instead of following the plot. The game gives the player all the freedom to choose what quests they want to pursue. Following botw, totk has an even bigger space for exploration, with three different maps (Sky, Land, Depth)! Moreover, totk added caves and wells on land with even more side quests. 

Ability

Like botw, Link has special abilities. But this time, they are much more convenient and useful. Link has mainly 3 kinds of abilities: Rauru hand’s 5 abilities, the sages after solving the main quests, and the ability to use Zonai devices. They don’t only make travel easy but also complement each other in battles and solving quests. The large flexibility and variety of ways to play the game is extraordinary. 

Difficulty of the game

Both botw and totk require a mix of skills, like combat skills, operation skills, problem-solving skills, and most importantly, creativity. Personally, I think totk is more player-friendly as the difficulty of the game lowers compared to botw. The reason is Link is more powerful in totk, the added travel medallion function and I believe the development team designed the quests to be easier in general. Making the game less frustrating and more enjoyable.

Storyline

Totk has an extremely complete and intriguing storyline. Contrasting botw, where Link is only finding his lost memory, totk’s story is strongly related to what Link does in the present. The story plays a big part in the game. Older players might find the story of totk somewhat similar to another game of the Zelda series, Ocarina of Time. I also think totk is a must-have for Zelda fans as it includes elements of all the other main Zelda games, such as the tunics.

To conclude, Tears of the Kingdom is one of the greatest games ever created. It is worth buying a Nintendo Switch just for botw and totk.